All's F.A.I.R. In Love, War and School Taxes

Here's an example of school propaganda on the Brooks Sales Tax front.

Note the money quote:

"The County justified their 50% cut in education's portion of sales tax dollars by highlighting new state aid to education. But, this year's state aid was provided with the expectation that the new money would be targeted in specific ways to improve academic results and schools are being held accountable by the state for how this money is used".

Most districts are claiming that the plan will hurt them this year, but many districts, like Gates-Chili set aside money ($1.7 million in Gates' case) on the chance that the County might go this route. Were they going to give it back if the intercept didn't happen?

Moreover, I have learned that if a taxpayer contacts the County budget office, he/she will get an analysis (with actual dollar amounts) showing the "impact" of the Brooks plan on the School District the taxpayer lives in. Contact Bill Carpenter at the County Office Building.

I have really grown tired of people talking about how "open" the School budget process is and how its the only government budget the people get to vote on. Everyone knows that those votes are almost meaningless given the power of school boards to impose an "austerity budget" (there's an oxymoron for you). Further, if the schools wanted a vote that truly reflected taxpayer's views, they'd have the budget vote on election day when there is real turnout. They won't do it because they'd never pass a budget again. They much prefer their special vote when they can motivate support among families with kids in school.

By the way, schools aren't the only government that has public voting on its budget. Fire districts also have budget votes. Those votes are held in December and even fewer people (around 200-300) vote in them. Interestingly enough, these districts which have so-called "voter input" in their budgets have had spending increases far above the inflation rate and far above the rate of spending increases in Town budgets.

The fact is that the schools have been spending money without much restraint. The Comptroller's recent report exposes that fact. The Brooks plan was the right move for the County, the City of Rochester, and town governments. The "burden" shifted to the school districts is one that they should bear, namely proposing reasonable budget plans with spending rates that can be justified to taxpayers in their districts